Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, abiding in the eternal Silence of the Self, composed The Essence of Spiritual Instruction for the supreme good of all in response to the supplications of the devoted Muruganar. The poet-devotee was writing in Tamil the story of the wayward rishis who dwelled in the Daruka forest and practiced rites for the attainment of powers that they desired. Their egos humbled by Siva and perceiving the error of their approach, they humbly sought spiritual instruction from Siva. Siva graciously bestowed the instruction, and it is these teachings that Muruganar requested Sri Bhagavan, Siva himself, to reveal in verse form. So, the Maharshi composed thirty verses in Tamil. Later, Sri Bhagavan translated them into Sanskrit. The Tamil version is entitled Upadesa Undiyar, and the Sanskrit version is entitled Upadesa Sarah and is also referred to as Upadesa Saram.
This work is the English translation of the Sanskrit Upadesa Saram. With each verse there is a ten-point commentary emphasizing the profound significance of each verse for those practicing Self-inquiry in the quest of nondual Self-Knowledge.
An appendix that contains just the Sanskrit text with transliteration is included for ease of recitation and similar purposes.